Largest heroin
seizure in Rhode Island valued at upwards
of $4.5 million dollars

NOV 02 (PROVIDENCE, R.I.) – Prompted
by information developed by Providence
Police detectives during an on-going investigation
into street level drug dealing, a joint
investigation by Providence Police and
the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Drug Task Force, consisting of federal,
state and local law enforcement agents
and officers, has resulted in the seizure
of 19 kilos of heroin with a street value
of approximately $4.5 million dollars.
The on-going investigation and record
seizure of pure heroin from the streets
of Rhode Island has resulted in the arrest
and detention of two individuals on federal
charges.

The investigation
and arrests were
announced by
John J. Arvanitis,
Special Agent
in Charge of
the DEA’s
New England Field
Division; United
States Attorney
Peter F. Neronha;
Providence Public
Safety Commissioner
Steven M. Paré;
Providence Mayor
Angel Taveras;
Providence Police
Chief Colonel
Hugh T. Clements,
Jr.; and Rhode
Island Attorney
General Peter
F. Kilmartin.

According to
an Affidavit
in support of
criminal complaints
filed with the
federal court
and unsealed
on Thursday,
an individual
who had recently
been arrested
by Providence
Police for the
alleged possession
of narcotics
agreed to cooperate
with law enforcement
to arrange controlled
deliveries of
heroin. According
to the Affidavit,
two deliveries
of a kilo of
heroin arranged
by the informant
allegedly took
place on the
evening of October
23, 2012, and
again the following
afternoon, witnessed
by a team of
law enforcement
agents and officers
from the DEA
Task Force and
Providence Police.
On each occasion,
the drugs were
quickly seized
by law enforcement.

According to
the Affidavit,
later in the
day on October
24, 2012, the
informant received
a call and was
provided with
a location to
meet with a person
who would be
traveling from
Massachusetts
to Rhode Island
to pick-up the
two kilos of
heroin. Law enforcement
provided the
informant with
two fake kilos
of heroin and
watched as the
delivery was
allegedly made.

During the investigation,
two men, Jorge
Daniel Estrada,
21, of Providence,
and Angel Feliz,
47, of Dorchester,
Mass., were arrested
and detained
on federal charges
of conspiracy
to possess with
the intent to
distribute one
kilogram or more
of heroin and
attempt to possess
one kilogram
or more of heroin
with the intent
to distribute.
A search of Estrada’s
Providence residence
resulted in the
seizure of an
additional 17
kilos of heroin.

A Criminal Complaint
is merely an
allegation and
is not evidence
of guilt. A defendant
is entitled to
a fair trial
in which it will
be the government’s
burden to prove
guilt beyond
a reasonable
doubt.